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By J. G. Davis, P. C. Thakur

Hazardous methane gas in coal mining is receiving increased attention due to the increased US demand for coal which has resulted in the exploitation of deeper seams and the utilization of more productive equipment. Problems posed by methane emission has the Mining Research Division of Continental Oil Co. (Conoco) accelerating efforts that began in the early 1950's with Consolidation Coal Co. (Consol).1 The program's focus is on finding new techniques for degasification of virgin areas as well as control of methane in gob areas.

Jan 10, 1977

By L. R. van Wert

CAREFUL research into the nature of the metallic state has yet to discover, with any certainty, its essential quality. We do riot yet know, for sure, what it is that makes the metallic elements different from, if not actually unique among, all created things. We do know, of course, that metals have certain more or less characteristic properties-they are hard, strong, and tough, and good conductors of heat and electricity, and these so-called metallic properties provide a definition of a sort. How- ever, it is the structure rather than the behavior of the metals which gives the really fundamental information necessary to the understanding of metallicity. But this information is not easily obtained. Nature has a way of keeping secrets. But happily we do possess some knowledge of how a metal is built up, and it is this matter, rather than the presentation of a formal definition, that will be discussed here.

Jan 1, 1937

By John F. Abel

A good mining engineer is supposed to make a good mine. What then makes a good mining engineer? There certainly are a lot of answers to that question. The answers depend on whether you are one, work for one, or employ one. There are several cliches about mining engineers, and there is some truth in them-as there usually is in any stereotype. Hollywood chose Jeff Chandler to portray a mining engineer in Foxfire. The image here was of an almost one-man mining operation. When Chandler picked up a jackhammer, cradled it in his gut and started drilling out a tunnel round, it gave one the hives. I would have liked to see him finish just one round that way. There are limits to what even the most hairy-chested of us will try. We can assume that Hollywood feels it needs to over- draw any profession to add impact.

Jan 1, 1970

By COREY C. BRAYTON

OUR first air travel began at Barranquilla on a trip to the platinum dredging-operations at Andagoya. The fare is based on a minimum weight of passenger, and I will have to admit that the minimum is too low. To make this trip by boat would have necessitated going back to the Canal, thence down to Buena Ventura, and up the San Juan river, which would have taken, counting delays, two or three weeks. The time by Scadta airplane was six hours. We stopped at Cartagena for a day to look over that historic city. The route from there lay along the north coast to the mouth of the Atrato river, then up this river, over the jungle, and over a divide some 300'ft. in elevation and down the San Juan river a few miles to Andagoya at the junction of the Condoto. The General

Jan 1, 1930

US 4,186,083-An improved collector for use In the froth flotation beneficiation of phosphate rock, barite, fluorspar, scheelite or Iron oxide ore comprises 70 to 99.9% by weight of tall oil fatty acid or the like and the remainder a described anionic perfluorosulfonate compound. Reagent consumption is lessened, and high recovery at high grade is effected. S.S. Wang, E.L. Smith, Jr., and E. F Huliganga, assigned to American Cyanamid Co. Jan 29, 1980. 4 pp. (209-166). Filed. 12-21-77 (863,034).

Jan 1, 1982

By H. E. Kramm

During the summer of 1910, I had the opportunity to study in detail the geological conditions of what is known in northern California as " Harrison gulch," in Shasta county. Though the district, as a whole, that is, the western part of Shasta and the eastern part of Trinity county, has contributed during the last 15 years a considerable share of the gold-production credited to Shasta county, very little is known of its geology, perhaps because the country is covered with a dense growth of brush which makes exploration and prospecting extremely difficult. Topographically the district presents a succession of ridges trending approximately N-S., and alternating with deep, narrow canyons. The drainage is partly into the Sacramento, partly into the Trinity river. Climatic conditions in summer time are almost ideal. It is true, the thermometer may climb to 115°, but the air is dry

Jan 1, 1913

By Waldemar Lindgren

FIFTEEN years ago, in his presidential address before the Washington Academy of Sciences,1 Alfred H. Brooks said: "Applied geology can only maintain its present high position by continuing the researches which advance the knowledge of basic principles. Future progress in applied geology depends on progress in pure geology." Early in 1927, Dr. David White, then chairman of the Division of Geology and Geography of the National Research Council, appointed a committee "On the Processes of Ore Deposition," which was the first recognition by the Council of this branch of applied geology. This committee will not be able to solve the many complex problems involved; it can only clear the way, survey the field, state the problems and encourage systematic research. This short paper aims to outline and to analyze the present status of this kind of geological research, to ascertain the quality of the work and to suggest lines that might profitably be followed. INCREASING DEMAND FOR GEOLOGISTS Economic geology, or the art of geology, could develop only after the principles of geology and mineralogy had been established. Before that time it was merely a collection of trade rules accompanied by more or less wild speculations. Thus we observe the beginnings of economic geology in the period 1770-1820. Soon afterwards, the State Surveys were established in this country, with the realization that the natural resources should be investigated and described. Geology was hardly yet equal to the task of scientific research in relationships and genesis, however, and there followed a period of discouragement and stagnation. In the meanwhile, pure geology had again registered progress, and, based on its principles and also on the rapid mining development in the Cordilleran region, the present phase of the study of ore deposits began to take form. Raphael Pumpelly, S. F. Emmons and G. F. Becker were among the pioneers in this movement. The United States Geological Survey was organized. Ore deposits were scientifically described and studied along lines of structure and mineralogy; theories of genesis were advanced, not always permanent but based on sound induction.

Jan 1, 1928

By S. Whinery

I am indebted to L. E. Bryant, of Danville, Ky., President of the Virginia Mining Co., operating coal-mines in Scott county, Tenn., for the following information relating to the existence of the Clinton iron-ore under the NW. slope of the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky and Tennessee. During the past 15 years quite an important oil-field has been developed in a region having Wayne county, Ky., as its center, and a large number of wells have been drilled in that and adjacent territory in the search for oil. Many of these wells have been carried to considerable depths below the recognized oil-bearing horizon, and one of them was drilled by Mr. Bryant at Pine Knot, a station on the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific railroad, a few miles north of the point where that road crosses the Kentucky-Tennessee State-line. The elevation of

Jan 1, 1913

By Augustus Locke

THE technical sessions at the Regional Meeting of the A.I.M.E. in San Francisco are to be de- voted LO changes, current or predictable, which may be expected to alter today's practices in mining and metallurgical engineering. Our present condition may be summarized as follows: Capacity to produce is excessive for domestic needs in molybdenum, copper, iron, and oil; sufficient in lead, zinc, and potash; deficient in aluminum, manganese, tungsten, chromium, and tin. Gold and silver are complicated by their use as money. Or, to look at it in another way, the "growth curles" of production, as C. K. Leith emphasizes, characteristically rise slowly at the beginning, show a second stage of rapid growth, and a third stage of leveling off. The third stage is already reached here in coal. copper, iron, lead, and zinc. But still in the second slage are oil, molybdenum, potash, and others.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. E. Strongman

This paper describes a system dynamics model of the international copper system. The development of the model is described regarding the questions it was designed to address, model boundary, major sectors and actors, the availability of data, the copper life cycle, and major supply and demand dynamics. A base forecast is presented describing future supply, demand, capacity, prices, trade flows, scrap flows and capital expenditures from 1976-1990 for the major producing and consuming market economy blocs.

Jan 1, 1977

ALFRED C. LANE, Tufts College, Mass. (written discussion*).-The attention of members may well be called by Allen to his discoveries, which affect not only correlations in Michigan but, as I have pointed out,1 the use of names like "Animikie" which are widely applied. It shows that one disadvantage of the wide use of locality names is that local discoveries may show that they are inappropriate. The Wewe hills were found not to contain the Wewe slate! So we note that Allen, in his correlation, drops the term Animikie, which his researches indicate covers both middle and upper Huronian: It would seem well, then, in dividing the Huronian or Proterozoic, to use, as Allen does, terms like upper, middle, and lower Huronian, or newer, middle, and early, which may be shortened into eo-, mio-, and neo-Huronian rather than to carry local terms far away; or we shall soon be

Jan 12, 1919

By H. OSBORG

THE patent literature of alloys for the last two decades or so indicates that the number of liatents referring to smaller and smaller percentages of essential alloying constituents is on the increase, whereas the number of patents relating to considerable percentages of alloying additions becomes smaller. The claims regarding physical properties indicate consistently higher and more rigid values and show the possibility of modifying the physical properties by only slight changes in the percentage of minor constituents or by applying different methods - of treatment. Alloys of the same base have been made suitable for a number of different applications by intelligently and rigid- ly controlling their composition, melting, casting, working, and heat-treatments. Other trends indicated in the development of modern alloys are higher corrosion resistance, higher fatigue limits, and "stability" in volume.

Jan 1, 1937

G. H. CLEVENGER, Colorado Springs, Colo.-Mr. Crowe's paper will be of great interest to cyanide operators, as it is a distinct new development in cyanidation. After reading the paper it occurred to me that some of us had done practically the same thing some time ago, but without design and unconsciously. I refer particularly to the operation of some of the earlier types of vacuum filter, used in connection with a dry vacuum pump and a receiver, which is somewhat similar equipment to that employed by Mr. Crowe. However, we did not appreciate the good effects we were getting from such of this solution as was precipitated, and it has remained for Mr. Crowe to bring distinctly to our attention the advantages of removing air from cyanide solutions before precipitation. Full credit is therefore due him for this very clever improvement in the cyanide process.

Jan 11, 1918

By G. Thodos, E. M. Phillips

A reduced density correlation for the gaseous and liquid regions of ethane has been developed from all the experimental PVT data available in the literature for this substance. Saturated vapor and liquid densities reported for methane, propane and n-butane were utilized to establish the rectilinear-diameter line for ethane. This line was then used with the saturated-vapor data for ethane to produce the saturated envelope for this substance. Most of the saturated liquid data reported for ethane were found to be inconsistent with the saturated-liquid curve resulting from this study. The correlation covers the regions 0.65 < TR <6.0 and 0 < PR < 15. For regions for which no experimental data have been reported, the isobars of the correlation were extended by the use of the theorem of corresponding states. This correlation is presented both on rectilinear and log-log coordinates. INTRODUCTION At the present time, there is considerable interest in the exact PVT behavior of pure hydrocarbons. Matschke and Thodos12 recently have developed a comprehensive compilation of experimental vapor and liquid density data for methane. Similar studies have been conducted for other pure substances.4, 7 In the present study the density data available in the literature for gaseous and liquid ethane have been critically reviewed and utilized to develop a reduced density correlation for this substance. SATURATED LIQUID AND VAPOR DENSITIES The rectilinear-diameter rule proposed by Cailletet and Mathias5 states that the sum of the saturated liquid and vapor densities of a pure substance is a linear function of temperature which passes through the critical point. This law, although empirical, has been well established by continued verification since its conception in 1886. This rule has been applied to the saturated density data of methane,6 propane 17 and n-butane8 to produce the straight lines presented in Fig. 1 which pass through the critical point TR = 1.00, Pr = 2.00. The rectilinear-diameter relationship for ethane was established from the lines for the other substances in Fig. 1 by plotting the quantity p~, + PR against zc for different reduced temperatures. A critical analysis of the saturated vapor and liquid densities reported for ethane by Kuenen,10 Maass and McIntosh,11 and Sage, Webster and Lacey18 revealed that the values of PR1 + pr resulting from these studies were inconsistent with the rectilinear-diameter line obtained from the reliable density data of the other substances, as shown in Fig. 1. In the analysis of these data, reduced quantities were calculated using the critical con-

By F. L. Bosqui

NO metallurgical process developed in the last half century has been more widely advertised to both technologists and lay- men, or has done more to promote efficiency and economy in the extraction of the valuable portions of ores than has the flotation process. Practically everybody has heard of this strange procedure whereby the heavy portions of an ore are made to float while the light parts sink. Some- times it is called froth flotation, the mineral-bearing froth being from the first a distinguishing characteristic. Many times it is called oil flotation, because a thin film of oil was commonly applied to the particles to be floated to make them adhere to the bubbles that rise through the pulp to form the surface froth. Oil, though commonly used, is not, however, necessary for this purpose, which is one of the facts that has been learned as the process has been developed.

Jan 1, 1940

By P. Raffinot, M. Rey, V. Formanek, G. Sitia

CONCENTRATION of oxidized copper and lead ores by flotation has been practiced for 30 years, but flotation of oxidized zinc ores has remained unsolved until a few years ago. This problem is, however, of great importance in mining districts where large tonnages of oxidized zinc ores exist in underground mines or in dumps. Some sulphide ores also possess a degree of oxidation high enough to justify recovery of oxide zinc minerals. Various attempts have been made to float the zinc carbonate, smithsonite.

Jan 4, 1954

By John Wellington Finch

In August, 1927, the writer examined certain copper deposits in New Mexico1 which occur in beds of sandstones and shale, and in connection therewith reviewed the literature upon deposits of this type. Such deposits are known and have been reported upon at various points in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, but in New Mexico they have been given more development than elsewhere and apparently occur there more conspicuously than in the other states. Some 25 years ago the writer examined deposits of similar origin in northern Arizona and more recently other deposits in western and southwestern Colorado, and these examinations have led him to realize how widely scattered are the deposits and how generally noncommercial they are. On superficial development, to one without a comprehension of their geologic nature, they are alluring on account of occasional small amounts of high-grade ore and much misplaced capital has been expended upon them. This paper, therefore, aims to present briefly certain theories of genesis, some details of which may possibly be new, and to lead up to practical conclusions which may be useful to other geologists and engineers. A bibliography of the more important literature upon such deposits is given below.2 Coffin&apos;s Bulletin upon the Radium, Uranium and Vanadium Deposits of Colorado, published in 1921, is a particularly clear discussion. The most comprehensive recent statement is Butler&apos;s.

Jan 1, 1928

By Hugh Archbald

IT is possible to construct a simple diagram of the earnings, or the production, of the men employed at a coal mine that will show not only if the conditions tend toward contentment among the men, but if the operating distribution of the work is correct. As earnings are the greatest cause of discontent, even exceeding all the other causes, if contentment exists in the matter of earnings, the likelihood of other discontents flaring up is greatly lessened. The basis of such a diagram would be the Gaussian curve of the normal variation in human ability. Such a curve has long been recog-nized. H. L. Moore,1 in discussing the quantitative relation between wages and ability says: "It has been pointed out that industrial efficiency is dependent upon physical, mental, and moral qualities, and these qualities . . . there is good reason for regarding as being distributed according to the Gaussian law..

Jan 7, 1924

By P. A. Beck, M. V. Nevitt

All binary and a number of ternary u alloys formed by first long period transition elements were examined and found to be ferromagnetic at low temperatures. The Curie temperatures for these alloys were measured. It was found that the correlation of the Curie temperature with composition may be described qualitatively in terms of the contributions of the various component atomic moments to the saturation moment of the alloy. Ternary Fe-Cr-Mo u phase alloys were also found to be ferromagnetic, with a Curie temperature dependent on the iron content and largely independent of the unit cell dimensions. Similar relations were found for the Co-Fe-Cr and the Co-Cr-Mo a alloys, where the Co + Fe content appears to determine the Curie temperature. RECENTLY, it has become increasingly evident that the u phase is some kind of an "electron compound." Several papers1-&apos; discussed the empirical correlation between the composition of the various u phases in alloys of the transition elements and the distribution of electrons in the partially filled d-levels of the component atoms. However, a picture of the latter can be formed only in a more or less intuitive manner, as in the Pauling theory," and the rigorous treatment of these problems is at present prevented by lack of adequate knowledge of the electronic structure of the transition elements in the metallic state. It appeared reasonable to expect that investigation of the magnetic properties, which are related to d-shell electrons, may help in clarifying the physical nature of the foregoing empirical correlation. Qualitative tests of samples of various compositions have shown that certain u alloys become ferromagnetic at liquid nitrogen temperature." The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether or not low temperature ferromagnetism is characteristic of a large variety of u alloys and to establish how the Curie temperatures of ferromagnetic u alloys are influenced by changes in composition and in lattice parameter. In the first portion of the in- vestigation, Curie temperatures were measured for a series of u alloys containing either vanadium or chromium with one or two of the elements manganese, iron, cobalt, or nickel. In the second phase of the work, data were obtained on the Curie temperature of ternary (Fe, Co, Cr)a, (Fe, Cr, Mo)a, and (Co, Cr, MO)U alloys, as a function of composition and of interatomic spacing. Experimental Procedures High frequency vacuum melting in high purity re-crystallized alumina crucibles was employed in the preparation of the u alloys, using metals whose lot analyses are given in Table I. Approximately two-thirds of the alloys were analyzed chemically, the analytical results being in acceptable agreement with the intended compositions, as seen in Tables I1 and 111. The specimens were annealed for homogen-ization in an atmosphere of purified 92 pct He and 8 pct H, mixture or in evacuated and sealed Vycor tubes at temperatures from 780" to 1300°C, depending on the temperature range of the u phase field for the particular composition. The annealing temwerature and time for kach alloy are given in Tables 11 and 111. Curie points were determined by an induction method; the change with temperature of mutual inductance between two coils was observed when the i-u specimen was inserted into the flux path between the coils. The transformer consisted of three coils each containing 1200 turns of 0.0050 in. diam enameled copper wire. The center coil, P in Fig. 1, served as the primary coil, and was linked magnetically with each of the two secondary coils, S, and S? which were connected in series opposition. The primary coil, P, was energized by an audio-oscillator, set at a frequency of 500 cycles per sec, while the signal from the transformer secondary circuit,

Jan 1, 1956

In accordance with the requirements of our By-Laws I beg leave to submit herewith the report of the Library Committee for the year 1915. The activity shown by the sale of the institute publications during the year continues satisfactory, although not as large as last year. The total sales amount to $6,666.81, distributed as follows: Sale of Transactions...:: :. $4,585.42 Sale of Special Editions 553.17 Sale of Pamphlets and Bulletins 2,028.22 It should-be borne in mind that the sale of special editions was only begun last year,, and most of the members who did not have the special editions immediately bought them for their libraries. This year only a little less than half of the same number have been disposed of, and it is more than probable that from now-on the number will be considerably lessened.

Jan 2, 1916